


Tread With Care

by alistairweekend



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Asexual Character, Asexuality, Coming Out, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-10-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 09:43:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8396827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alistairweekend/pseuds/alistairweekend
Summary: My first Mystic Messenger fic! I hope it’s the first of many. c: This is expanding upon an idea I had a while ago of an ace!MC nervously confessing to Zen that they’re asexual and sex-repulsed. It’s largely based on my own thoughts and experiences with my own asexuality, but I hope people can still relate to it.Rated Teen because of mentions of sex, of course. Written from second-person perspective, so no pronouns are used; therefore it can be Any Gender/M (and why I list it under three categories)~





	

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoy my MM work, you should check out my blog [mrs-trustfundkid ](http://mrs-trustfundkid.tumblr.com/), where I take requests for fics, scenarios, and imagines!

How had things come to this?

You sat on the couch in the small living space that belonged to Zen, face buried in your hands as you tried to suppress the toxic waves of anxiety rolling through your chest, threatening to overwhelm you.

Everything had been so nice. Sure, your and Zen’s relationship hadn’t had the most orthodox of beginnings, but the hardships you two had endured strengthened your bond. At least, that’s what you liked to think.

Now, you felt as if all of it was going to crumble away as soon as he walked in the door. You couldn’t believe yourself. How had you not told him earlier? How could you have neglected to explain one of the most important aspects of your identity to the person you loved? How is someone supposed to tell their boyfriend, who also happens to be literally famous for his lust-inducing looks, that they don’t want sex?

He would be put off beyond belief when you told him you were asexual, you were sure. Zen was always provocatively flirting and making suggestive remarks. Of course he wanted sex. Aside from his exceptional beauty, he was _normal_. Surely you had taken your blooming romance for granted; swindled Zen by conveniently forgetting to mention your sex-repulsion. But now the guilt had caught up to you, and you knew the ruse had to come to an end. If he didn’t find out now, he would find out in a much more awkward situation.

The front door’s lock shifted and clicked, signaling Zen’s arrival and making you jump. Quickly, you swiped at your face with your sleeve and clenched your fists in your lap – an attempt to control their trembling. You could feel your heart in your throat, pressing against the walls, nearly suffocating you.

“Hey, babe!” Zen called cheerfully as he closed the door and hung up his coat.

“Hi,” was all you could muster, and even the single word was enough to catch a slight warble in your voice. You winced internally.

Realizing you were on the couch, Zen turned to face you, brows immediately drawn in concern. “Babe? Are you okay?”

You tried to hold his gaze. It lasted only a few seconds before the tears came, forcing you to look away as Zen transformed into a white blur. Once they started, they wouldn’t stop, and you gave into your sobs, bringing your knees to your chest to try and hide your face from Zen. How embarrassing.

You could sense Zen’s worry spike, but he didn’t say anything. A moment later you felt the couch shift as he sat down next to you, and then you were pulled into his arms. He gently separated your arms from your legs so you clung to him; your face rested against his chest, one of his hands stroking your hair and the other rubbing your back in a soothing circular pattern.

An odd mix of solace and guilt welled up inside you. It felt wonderful – it felt _right_ – to be in Zen’s embrace. And yet… it might all be over in mere minutes. The thought of all his warmth towards you turning cold was almost too much to bear.

“Talk whenever you feel ready,” Zen murmured. He was so sweet it just made you want to cry even more. But you did your best to calm down, your crying eventually subsiding to mostly sniffles.

“Um…” you began. Zen let you pull away slightly, and a hand reached up to brush the hair out of your face and wipe any tears that remained on your cheeks. His eyes held nothing but kindness, and precisely because of that you averted your gaze.

Before he could insist you look at him, you continued: “I-I… need to tell you something… about me. That I should have told you a l-long time ago.” Your voice remained unsteady from crying, your words punctuated with small hiccups. You felt a little pathetic.

“Yeah?” Zen quietly prompted.

You weren’t sure how you managed it, but you finally told him. You explained your asexuality and sex-repulsion, and what it meant. After the explanation, you bit back the emotional words you were thinking: _I don’t expect you to stay with me. I know I’d just hold you back. I’m sorry I’m like this._ Instead, you waited for him to respond; for him to ask the doubtful questions everyone always asked you when you came out to them. He had listened politely and attentively the whole time, but certainly now he would have questions.

Zen’s hands left your body. Pain burst in your heart as the warmth of his embrace left. The silence continued, however.

Was he skipping right over the interrogation? Was he thinking of the best way to break up with you? Was he that disappointed? You had expected as much, but it didn’t make it any less agonizing to experience. You waited out the pause with bated breath, holding in new tears, bracing yourself for the inevitable.

“I think I am too.”

“What…?” Incredulous, you raised your head to look at Zen, eyes wide. There was no way you’d heard him right.

Zen’s gaze was trained at his hands, which rested in his lap, but when he felt your eyes on him he lifted his head. His expression displayed none of the suspicion or contempt you had expected, and instead held something akin to… wonder.

“You said… you don’t feel sexual attraction, yeah? I didn’t know that was a thing. I didn’t know that was an _option_. Until just now, when you said it.” He let out a huff of breath – an half-laugh full of amazement. “How do I explain… Well, you know me. I’m attractive! Really attractive! And so, of course, ever since I can remember, people have associated me with sex. They never asked my opinion on it. They just assumed I liked it because of my looks.”

He looked away as he gathered his thoughts. “For a while I assumed that was how it was supposed to be, I guess. At first I thought it was just something people did because… because they had to, for whatever weird reason. When I found out that people do it because they _like_ it, I was honestly baffled… but I never said anything. What would people think of me if I voiced my reservations? I’ve never told anyone, but… that’s the reason none of my past relationships worked out.”

Those red eyes found yours again. “And now you’re here, and… telling me this, and… for the first time I can think… I’m not broken?”

Zen looked the most vulnerable you had ever seen him. A silent addition to his words hung in the air, imploring you to validate what he had just admitted, to assure him he was not wrong.

Certainly, this had been the last thing you had expected to come from this conversation. Once you were past your shock, however, tears began welling in your eyes once again… this time for a completely different reason. You remembered exactly what it was like to go through the thought process Zen had just described. You remembered what it was like to discover the word that fits what you feel. That you are not alone.

You nodded, face breaking out into a smile. Some tears spilled down your cheeks. “You’re not broken, Zen.”

Zen engulfed you in his arms. “And you’re not broken either.” He buried his face in your shoulder, and you in turn gripped him tight – you could hardly believe what had just happened. A tiny irrational fear whispered in the back of your mind that if you let go, he would reveal it was all a dream; a delusion on your part. But the seconds ticked by and Zen didn’t move an inch. Slowly, your worries settled, and what he had said began to sink in.

“God…” Zen finally pulled away, and he sniffed and wiped at his eyes – had he been crying? You had never seen Zen cry before. Before you could make a comment, Zen continued, “Ugh. My eyes will be all puffy tomorrow if I keep this up.”

Suddenly he paused in his actions, lowering his arm and revealing a sweet smile. “Thank you. I can’t believe it took me so long to realize this, but it’s all thanks to you. What would I do without you?”

“I was so scared you were going to leave me,” you admitted abruptly. A leftover wave of anxiety coursed through you again, and your hands clenched at the memory of the very real fear you had felt only minutes ago.

Zen’s eyes widened. “No,” immediately left his mouth. “Even if I wasn’t asexual… I would _never_ have left you over something like that. Look at me.” One of his hands took your cheek and turned your head towards him. “I love you. Never, ever doubt that. Whether you want to have sex or not has nothing to do with your capacity for true love.”

“I love you too,” you whispered, feeling tears rising for the third time. You blinked them back, summoning a giggle to replace them as you thought of how ridiculous it all was.

Zen’s mouth quirked into a grin as well. “But now I’m sure we had to have met by fate. We’re perfect for each other!” He wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pulled you close to him once more.

“Wha-” you started, but your words turned to shrieks of laughter as Zen peppered your face with kisses.

“Clearly. We. Were. Made. For. Each. Other,” he said in between pecks, grinning widely all the while. “Don’t you agree?” He pulled back long enough for you to breathlessly nod, then, once he saw the confirmation, swooped in for a proper kiss on the lips.

You melted into Zen’s kiss, and a surge of gratitude and love swelled in your chest, drowning out any last shreds of fear that remained. How you were lucky enough to find Zen, you didn’t know, but you were never going to let him go – and the best part was that he wasn’t going to let you go, either.


End file.
